


The Scorpion and the Frog (Danatole)

by bananatole



Series: Danatole Oneshot Collection [3]
Category: Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 - Malloy, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 - Malloy (Off-Broadway Cast) RPF, Voyná i mir | War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Other, anatole reads him a story, but in my brain theyre husbands so let me live, fedya is wounded after the duel, i also messed up the original fable so please let me plead artistic liberty, the scorpion and the frog, you could technically take this the platonic way as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:36:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27704245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananatole/pseuds/bananatole
Summary: Sometimes, small-minded people are necessary to remind us what we live for.post-Duel, Anatole consoles and calms a wounded Dolokhov- not only his body, but his mind.
Relationships: Fyodor "Fedya" Ivanovich Dolokhov/Anatole Vasilyevich Kuragin, danatole - Relationship
Series: Danatole Oneshot Collection [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022293
Kudos: 8





	The Scorpion and the Frog (Danatole)

_Let me read you a story, let me read you a romance_

_I will read, you will listen; this terrible night will pass_

Anatole looked to his friend’s direction, blond eyebrows furrowing in visible frustration and concern.

It had only been a couple of days sine Fyodor Dolokhov and Pierre Bezukhov had stupidly indulged in a petty duel that left one with a lingering sense of futility and the other with an admittedly minor yet painful gunshot wound at the shoulder.

The Kuragin prince hadn’t seen his friend as helpless in a decent amount of time; it seemed like this wound had brought all of the soldier’s pent up fatigue and forced his overworked body- additionally burdened by the unhealthy amounts of alcohol and tobacco he wouldn’t resist temptation to on a usual afternoon away from battle – to shut down.

Anatole knew well that what made his friend worse was the inability to stand up and do what he needed- or wanted- to, rather than the shot itself. In the rare occasions the armyman would get injured like this and bedridden, Anatole had learned to realize that what would prevail was an additional burden on his mental state.

Though he didn’t like to admit, the Kuragin hated it more than anything else.

He shook his head, suddenly aware he had been staring at his friend for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Dolokhov had his face turned away, and stared blankly at the wall next to him, eyelids heavy.

The room was dimly lighted and the air was poisoned with irritation.

“Fedya?” the blond uttered weakly.

Fyodor did not turn to look at him.

“Look. I know this isn’t your favorite thing in the world but you can’t just let yourself slip away, you moron”.

To that, the soldier’s eyes momentarily shone- in a situation where he would have typically scoffed- and he turned his head just a little to face the prince. He still did not speak.

“How about I humor you with a story or two?” Anatole smiled devilishly, almost certain this would get a reaction out of his friend.

To his surprise, the man only nodded.

_Hm. This was untypical. Maybe something bigger is going on._

“Fedya. Mon cher.”

Anatole scooted closer, sitting on the simple wooden chair that was placed inelegantly by the bed.

“Okay, I got the message.”

The blond looked around for a second, his eyes searching a book he could read but he soon gave up.

_Yes. A spontaneous story is much more special._

After all, wasn’t Anatole Kuragin an, admittedly, very spontaneous person?

“All right. I will play your game. I am willing to bet, dear Fedorchuk, that you don’t know of the tale of the Scorpion and the Frog.”

Dolokhov shifted weakly in his seat, finally letting out a hoarse “no”; the only word he seemed to have said so far in the day.

“Figured.” The prince smiled.

_Once, there was a frog floating on a lily in a pond. The waters were crystal clear and the frog was enjoying himself, busking underneath the sun._

_Suddenly, a shadow was seen under the water and a figure erected before the frog. The frog looked at the figure with fear and a small tinge of lust. Before the frog stood a scorpion, black as ebony, shiny and proud._

_The frog couldn’t help himself. He was too enchanted by the scorpion’s shiny exoskeleton. Still, he spoke cautiously:_

_‘What do you need, kind sir?’_

_The scorpion, with a deep and inviting voice, replied:_

_‘Dear frog, I saw you from the other side of the pond and I couldn’t help myself; I knew I had to approach you. Please, let me take you to the other side of the pond, for a storm will arrive soon.’_

_The frog was taken aback. This creature was certainly dangerous, yet…he was too intoxicating. Too shiny. Too kind. Too inviting._

_‘How do I know, Scorpion, that you will not kill me while I am on your back?’_

_The scorpion smiled. The frog blushed._

_‘My dear, how could I ever hurt you? For if I sting you with my prick, I will also sting myself in the back and die.’_

_The frog fell in deep thought._

Anatole Kuragin looked over to the injured armyman. Fyodor was looking back at him, silent, yet eyes glistening. The soldier lay half-naked in his bed, with his bandaged shoulder and tired expression, yet his eyes shone in interest.

“Perhaps we need to change your bandage soon, Fedya”, uttered the prince.

“Please finish this story”, was the only reply.

Anatole shook his head.

_The frog, half under the influence of the scorpion’s charm and calmed by his sweet words, jumped on the slippery back._

_From there, the frog felt like he could see the world. The sun rays jumped on the water and the frog could see every single scale on the fish that swam under it. The amphibian smiled and closed his eyes, taking in the morning breeze._

_‘See, Frog? I told you you could trust me’, the Scorpion smiled._

_They slowly travelled towards the other end of the pond. The frog finally fully relaxed, the other end nearing closer and closer as the scorpion swam._

_Prick._

_Prick._

_Prick._

_The Frog did not feel a thing. He only started to lose vision, the desirable shore across him seeming all the more dark._

_The smell hit him first. The Frog looked down._

_Rich scarlet ran on his scales and touched the animal beneath him._

_Weakly, he looked at the Scorpion._

_‘Why? This way we will both drown.’_

_The arachnid, choking on his own blood, turned his head to look at him._

_‘I am sorry Frog. It’s only in my nature. Forgive me.’_

Anatole sighed, looking over to Dolokhov.

“You know, growing up, I always heard people blaming the Scorpion. Alas, mon Cher; the Scorpion, I’ve always believed, was merely self-destructive. And it wasn’t as if he wanted to take more with him to his demise.

No, darling Fedya-” he looked over to the man, placing a cold palm upon his.

“The Scorpion merely wanted to get to the other side and, as he swam, he fell in love with the Frog and wanted to share his journey. Of course, the Scorpion ended up hurting the Frog as was his nature and, along with the Frog, doomed himself, but; it was not ill will, if you ask me. That is why I’ve always pitied the Scorpion.”

The Kuragin prince smiled- a smile not like his usual. This one held a tint of melancholy.

“The Scorpion merely wanted to live. He wanted to live and love. All he wanted was to live his life freely and do everything for his pleasure as he saw it. His demise was only a result of his nature and whoever went along with him, the Scorpion had no ill will towards.”

“Sometimes-” Dolokhov spoke up, seemingly out of the trance that he had been in.

“- sometimes our careless actions make others hurt. That is because he only think of ourselves”.

The soldier rubbed a thumb onto the top of the prince’s hand bitterly.

“It’s just how we are, Tolya. I wonder, can we make a change? I-”

…

“Lying here, weak and useless, I start to wonder what life is even worth living for. Why have we made wars into medallion competitions? Each man, thinking himself to be divine and righteous, runs off to eradicate his fellow man, and for what?” he growled.

Anatole gave the soldier a pitiful look.

“For what, I ask, dear Tolya?

“Hush, you moron. You’re going to make your wound worse”, the prince spat, attempting to calm Dolokhov down but firmly holding his healthy shoulder.

Dolokhov exhaled violently yet calmed down a bit.

“Sorry. I’m just tired.”

Anatole nodded, not moving his hand that was under Dolokhov’s.

“Some things have no explanation, dear friend. That’s why we live to love another day. Even if we are self-destructive, we put that aside and have as much fun as we possibly can. So calm down for now and let’s be thankful we are both here, able to love and you are not nailed shut in a coffin and I am laying dirt over it, all right?” , he frowned.

The armyman nodded in agreement and settled back into his pillow.

“What in the world would I ever do without you at times like these?”

...

"Come on, you moron. Hush and let's change your bandage. It's disgusting."

_Sometimes, small-minded people are necessary to ground you and remind you what’s genuinely worth living for._


End file.
